Demoed new X460 Tour Driver and Fairway

sandy · October 6, 2005

Our Callaway rep. stopped by today with samples of the new X Tour Driver and Fairway. The driver was a 9.5 Tour and the fairway was a 15 Tour. Both are black and borethroughs. The fairway being steel and the driver being a 460 Titanium. I must say this is the best looking shape that Callaway has had since the Great Big Bertha days. No pointy tail, plate look, or long from toe to heel. The reports of the odd shape must have been regarding the Japanese X-18 driver as this is about as traditional a look as it gets. Both had Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 shafts in them which I must say didn't thrill me from the start. The driver is as loud as the old illegal ERCs---not a big plus in my opinion. This is intended to replace the BB 454. It is all Titanium and no use of carbon. The fairway is a good shape and size with a medium face depth. Both clubs were very good performers. About average distance for each club but very accurate and very easy to draw. Very high trajectory for the driver (probably the shaft). Not so easy to fade. It doesn't appear there will be a draw, neutral, fade option ala the FT-3. There is the Callaway Chevron alignment logo on both crowns in silver. Looks like this will be a worthy successor to the BB 454 even if it doesn't repeat as LDA champion I think the head is a winner but the 26.3 shaft didn't show as being anything unusual. I would have liked to try it with a NV in 8.5. They evidently are achieving the higher MOI that everyone is looking to up by moving weight from the sole---a very unique dented sole----almost a reverse warbird. I prefer this approach compared to the Nike SQ ugly ugly shape approach.

The rep. said they will probably be available after the golf show this winter. That would make it February or March. He promised me one in January if I wanted it but since I had no plans to be anywhere warm I said no thanks. He couldn't say for sure but thought they would be in the $299 range depending on where Ti prices go (they are starting to soar as many countries like the U.S. are replenishing their military stockpiles). What was $299 this year may indeed by $329 next year.

Sorry no pictures but it looks like another poster got some nice ones. By the way I hit 3 buckets of balls with these clubs as the rep. was in doing "deals" for 3 hours so I got a good workout with them. Overall another good driver but a very good fairway but both need better shafts to test them.

Gave a quick look at the three ball putter and thought it was just another monstrousity I could do without. My first thought was the DOC with three alignment balls.

br61 · October 6, 2005

I did see it today too and put up pics of X 460, unfortunately, I didn't have time to take pics of 15* & other clubs because rep needed to show them to my club pro and I had to go. I wished I could've tried out the Tour 15* fairway wood because it does look very good.

I agree about high ballflight which I believe it's due to the shaft.

sandy · October 10, 2005

I did see it today too and put up pics of X 460, unfortunately, I didn't have time to take pics of 15* & other clubs because rep needed to show them to my club pro and I had to go. I wished I could've tried out the Tour 15* fairway wood because it does look very good.

I agree about high ballflight which I believe it's due to the shaft.
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The rep. is going to see if he can get me an 8.5 with a X NV in it from the tour department. I think that will be a tremendous improvement.

easyyy · October 10, 2005

Thanks for the review Sandy. Look forward to hear more about these heads.

drawmerchant · October 13, 2005

Look forward to trying out this BB 454 replacement in due course - have had a few hits with the FT3 and can't say it does anything for me personally other than encourage the use of ear protectors! Maybe a similar scenario to the original Fusion v. BB454 head to head, where the cheaper model won out hands down.

On one other point, I find the Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 a truly excellent shaft and have an S flex fitted in my Titleist 905S 9.5 degree - yet again a matter of personal choice and swing chacteristics. If its one of the stock shafts in the new Callaway then I'll be even more keen to give it a try.

Drawmerchant